CarterEnergy 50th Anniversary

The Gasoline Car
Most of today's cars are made to run on our most well-known fuel source, gasoline. Made from petroleum, gasoline is easy to get and provides an affordable way to fuel our cars today. As with any type of fuel, there are pros and cons to the use of gasoline.

• Pros
• Lowest comparable cost
• Easy for people to get
• Easy to produce and deliver

• Cons
• Importing from other countries
• Price changes often
• Limited supply
• By-products can harm the environment

The Natural Gas Car
Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) is a fossil fuel and can be used as an alternative fuel for vehicles when it is squeezed together and stored under high pressure in the vehicle's gas tank.

• Pros
• Large supply in U.S.
• 30% more efficient than gasoline
• More environmentally friendly than gasoline
• Improves vehicle performance including 2-3 times longer engine life

• Cons
• Fueling takes a long time
• Not many CNG stations
• CNG tanks hold less, so you have to fill your car more often
• High cost to change vehicles so they can burn CNG in their engines

The Ethanol Car
Ethanol is a renewable, alternative fuel that is usually made from corn, sugar cane or potatoes.

• Pros
• Renewable
• Can be made in the U.S.
• Decreases the need to import oil from other countries
• More environmentally friendly than gasoline
• Supports the U.S. economy

• Cons
• Less energy efficient than gasoline
• Not many ethanol stations
• Costs more per mile than gasoline
• Could hurt vehicle engines if used incorrectly

The Biodiesel Car
Biodiesel is a renewable, alternative fuel that is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be mixed with diesel fuel.

• Pros
• Helps your vehicle's engine run cleaner and last longer
• Can be made in the U.S.
• Renewable
• More environmentally friendly than regular diesel fuel

• Cons
• Does not work well in cold weather
• Costs more per mile than regular diesel
• Not many biodiesel stations

The Electric Car
Electric motors are powered by special rechargeable rechargeable batteries.

• Pros
• Easy to get electricity by plugging the vehicle into an outlet
• Three times more energy efficient than gasoline vehicles
• More environmentally friendly than gasoline
• Engines have fewer moving parts, so they don't break down very often
• No need for imported oil

• Cons
• Battery is heavy and takes up lots of space in vehicles
• Battery has to be recharged often so you can't drive as far
• Battery recharge takes longer than filling a vehicle with gasoline
• Batteries have to be replaced often
• Not many recharging stations
• High cost to change vehicles so they can use electricity

The Hydrogen Car
Hydrogen is an alternative fuel that requires a vehicle to have a fuel cell that is powered by hydrogen. The fuel cell turns hydrogen from the fuel tank and oxygen from the air into electricity that powers the motor.

• Pros
• Can be made in the U.S.
• More environmentally friendly than gasoline
• Two to three times more energy efficient than gasoline powered vehicles

• Cons
• Costly to adapt vehicles to Hydrogen
• Shorter driving/travel range
• Vehicles cost a lot
• Not many hydrogen fuel stations